Wednesday, March 30, 2011

I've seen Stella & Dot pop up on the blogging radar before, but I never really quite got it.

Rebecca Hollerbach, a college student, emailed me about how she was a rep for the company and wanted to do a giveaway. It took me about 2.2 seconds on the website to realize just how fantastic everything was. Seriously, I am lusting over some of the summer pieces! (Check out this gorgeous necklace!)

Rebecca and I decided on giving away this super cute On the Mark necklace.

It's perfect for layering and can be worn every day!!!

Be sure to check out Rebecca's website! Definitely check out the bracelets- there are so many great options for adding to your stack!

2) TAG yourself in the giveaway picture (I've added multiple pictures because there are limits on the # of tags allowed/picture!)

I will be tallying the entries through the tags!

EXTRA entry: Tag College Prepster in your Facebook status with a link to this giveaway.

(to tag College Prepster, first be sure to "like" the page, and then type "@College Prepster" without the quotation marks into your status) The tags don't seem to be appearing on the page, so mention your name in the DISCUSSION board on the FB page!

The giveaway will run through Tuesday April 5 at noon, winner announced the 6th!

Good luck!!!

xoxo

PS Check to be sure your extra entry tagged status appears on College Prepster's page! That's where I will be tallying the tags!

I like to have one or two "nice" bsuits for trips to Palma Ceia or the beach... but I typically also will buy a few suits from Target... they're extremely cheap and are perfect for daily dips in the pool. I hate how chlorine fades suits, but I don't care at all with the Target ones :)

This past week has been beyond strange. A constant push and pull of emotions.

One minute, I'm feeling on top of the world. Checking things off my list, writing emails like it's my job, answering questions, doing homework, studying for exams. Everything in control.

The next minute, my brain has 428 different ideas simultaneously bouncing against my skull. I can't think straight, I can't complete one darn thing, I'm homesick, annoyed, mad, and sad all at once. I found myself crying because I didn't print Powerpoint slides in the right way.

I realized that I was just being dumb, and irrational. Sure, I didn't print the slides correctly... but is it that big of a deal? NO.

And then, just as quickly as those beyond overwhelming feelings sprung up on me... I get an incredibly nice email, a Facebook chat from a girl from high school saying even nicer things, two interviews (Her Campus and College Gloss), an easy quiz, etc.

Even though I had those terrible feelings.... and I felt like crying (well, I did cry) and not moving and stomping my feet and just throwing my hands in the air... I kept moving.

I kept working.

And then the good things started happening.

And then I felt better.

I've been repeating this phrase in my head over and over for the past month or so... especially when I feel "too tired" to study. Too tired to go to practice. Too tired to blog. Too tired to write. Too tired to do anything that I have to do. It picks me up, reminds me of the end goal, and keeps me motivated.

I hope it does the same for you!!!

Instructions for downloading wallpaper:

Right click on the image.
Select "Open in new tab" (or window)
Right click the image again.
You can either save the image to your computer and then set it as a background. On macs, you should be able to right click and "save as desktop background."

xoxo

PS For the record, I don't need to be locked in a psyche ward... I know my mom is going to read this and think I'm going crazy! I promise I'm not!!!! hehe

Saturday, March 26, 2011

First, of course, let's thank Marley Lilly for 1) having such an amazing selection of products and 2) sponsoring this giveaway!

Also, thank you to everyone who followed and entered and commented. You guys are fantastic. Seriously, when I start getting stressed and overwhelmed, reading the wonderful comments gives me so much motivation :) So big hugs for y'all!!!

Friday, March 25, 2011

I used to start every single morning by peeling off another sheet on my Mary Engelbreit calendar.

I loved the characters, the sayings, the colors, the happiness! Each Christmas, my stocking would have a calendar, ready to go for the new year. Years and years of these calendars have left me with stacks and stacks of the daily sheets. (I could never ever throw them away!!! #hoarders)

Additionally, I read her magazine religiously. Multiple times. One of the features was showing off the studios of popular artists. I was always inspired by these studios. Some were neat as a pin. Some were minimal and clean and white. Others were strewn with nicknacks and dried paint.

Here's Mary in her own studio:

Are you lusting over the hundreds of pens, pencils, and markers like I am???

Somewhere buried in a storage bin are hundreds of these paper dolls! Did anyone else collect Anne Estelle and her friends?

Oh that Mary had quite the sense of humor.

Please tell me that I was not the only one obsessed with Mary Engelbreit!!!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

As I mentioned the other day, I've been interviewing entrepreneurs for a class I'm taking.

And, I've been trying (attempting at least) to follow my own advice from Prep Talk! The March 13 issue was all about Discovery and I've been seeking ways to discover, explore, and learn more things.

(Side note: As I've been doing this, I'm realizing that I really don't have time for any television. My goal of just watching Modern Family and Parenthood has turned into a "no time for any show no matter how great it is" goal.)

When we first received the "Stranger Interviews" assignment... I felt like dropping the class. No way was I going to find strangers and interview them.

Obviously, I stayed in the class and begrudgingly went off in search of DC entrepreneurs.

The experience has been unreal. I am so thankful that I was forced to do this. Not only have I met really fantastic businessmen (politically correct since they've all been men so far!), but I've learned the great importance of talking and connecting people for advice.

Assuming that you're not enrolled in the class with me, I still encourage everyone to find someone that you don't know and meet up with them for advice and networking.

I know, I know... it's a crazy idea (and seems both impossible and really embarrassing), but it's not I swear!

You will get SO much out of it, especially for other college students!

So, dig down deep and find your inner-Oprah and, as Nike would say, JUST DO IT.

xoxo

PS For the record, I fully intend on being the next Oprah #prepareyourselves

"Forget the plastic to-go cup, take the rest of your drink in style! These double wall acrylic cups are great for the car or the coffee table because the do not sweat! Personalize your cup with a name or monogram!"

The cups come in tons of colors and the monograms can be done in numerous ways.

Friday, March 18, 2011

I loved the first Stacks- Reader Edition post I did at the end of 2010... I could not wait any longer to put together another one!

Here we go:

From Left to Right:

The Silver Bangle: My grandparents gave me this for my 18th Birthday/High School Graduation and engraved my full name and graduation date on the inside

The Watch: When my maternal grandmother died this past fall, she insisted that all of her jewelry be spread out among her grandchildren. Specifically, she asked that I have her old watch since I'm the only one with wrists small enough to wear it. I like wearing it as a reminder that she's never that far away from me.

The Bracelets: Not too much story behind these. They're H&M and I've had them since high school. I thought that they flowed with the rest of my stack.

The Cuff: I purchased this in Acapulco, Mexico when I went on spring break my senior year of college. That trip was partially my graduation gift to myself so although the bracelet only cost 100 pesos (about 9 US dollars) the memories behind it make it a lot more special.

The pink ribbon is a Brazilian good luck ribbon bracelet (when you tie it, you're suppose to make 3 wishes, and when the ribbon falls off, your wishes will come true -- I'm not superstitious, but I think they're cute, and I always have one on my wrist). Below that is an evil eye necklace that my grandmother gave me (I don't really wear necklaces so I wrapped it 3 times around my wrist). Right below that is a gold ball bracelet my grandfather gave me. The evil eye bracelet with the cross, I got in Greece, when I studied abroad there my freshmen year of college. The evil eye bracelet right below that, also has a little cross (it's on the side), I got that when I went to Greece a year later, because I thought I had lost my bracelet I had gotten the year before... turns out I didn't, so now they make a pair! Beneath that is a fleur de lys cuff I got in Argentina... and then the Kate Spade 'hot to trot' bangle my Aunt gave me for my birthday!

The photo includes (from the left) a bangle from my Dad's trip to Israel, an Italian glass bead bracelet from my Grandma on her trip to Italy with my Grandpa before he passed away (they picked out special bracelets for each grandchild), my Tiffany & Co. bracelet from my Dad as my 15th birthday present, a silver monogrammed amethyst bracelet from my favorite aunt, and my watch-it watch! So glad you decided to have people send in their stack pictures :)

My stack includes my watch from Storm, I love that the bracelet is actually more of a bracelet than a strap, plus the colours mean it compliments most outfits or acts my little splash of colour on a plain one! This is actually my second version of this watch having ruined my first one after getting mosquito repellent cream on it in the Caribbean :[ The plain silver bangle I purchased in Sri Lanka after visiting the temple housing the relic of the tooth of Buddha, I was extremely lucky to be one the few that actually got to see the relic as it is hidden away most of the time, I like to think this reminds to value how lucky I am and also that sometimes a spot of meditation is all you need! The next silver bangle has Paua shell in it which I bought at Te Papa museum in Wellington, New Zealand this summer of my first solo trip to the other side of the world, it is a dream of mine to both live in NZ and work at Te Papa so it reminds me of that, also Paua is known as 'sea opal' in English and my birthstone is the opal. The pink string is friendship bracelet-cum-hair tie-cum-emergency elastic band, this reminds me of my constant need to multi-task haha! Finally, a pearl bracelet because every outfit deserves one! I think my stack overall represents some of the places I've been and the places I'll go!

-Emily Louise

*****

From left to right:

This bracelet is a Tiffany's sterling silver bead bracelet. This if one of my favorite bracelets and very important to me because my Aunt and Uncle gave it to me for my confirmation in February 2009.

The next bracelet is my Pandora bracelet. I am very close with a woman whose kids I babysit. She gave me my Pandora bracelet along with the first bead on the bottom for my eighteenth birthday. The top 3 beads, my parents have given me for various occasions. I can not wait to add more charms to it!

The next bracelet was given to me by my parents. I don't know where it is from because they bought it on vacation, but I love that is clasps together and that the clasps are gold and the rest of the bracelet is silver.

The last bracelet is a c-band bracelet. I moved to Williamsburg, Virginia when i was 9 years old. My Dad works for Colonial Williamsburg and I was a costumed interpreter there. This bracelet is important to me because I got it the Christmas after I moved there and the bracelet is a Colonial Williamsburg bracelet bought in one of the stores. I love that it reminds me of my Dad when I look at it.

The first thing on my stack is my obnoxious Roxy tide watch. Daddy got it for me after sixth grade when I went to surf camp for the first time. Next I have my Yurman that is so simple. It was a gift for my 21st birthday from Mommy and Daddy. Next is my "With God, all things are possible" cuff that my best friend since preschool school gave me when we were confirmed. After that is my Pandora. All the girls in my family have one, so it is such a fun family connection. The final, and most important, thing on my stack is my Forever Young band. I had a friend pass away in seventh grade and we all got these matching bands. It reminds me that I always have an angel looking out for me.

First is my Pandora...I got it as a graduation present from my next door neighbors with a "forget-me-knot" bead so that I don't forget where I come from. Since then I've gotten tons of charms for it, some of my favorites are a seal from the beach in Maine, a skier, a football because I work in sports broadcasting, and an apple from my trip to NYC.
Next is a silver cuff from my cousins who live in Colorado. It was made by Native Americans, and I'm pretty sure they got it on their trip to New Mexico.
The red beaded one is an evil-eye bracelet from my cousin's trip to Greece. My cousins told me that it would bring me good luck and keep "evil spirits" away. I have a roommate who's grandmother is from Greece, and she told me it keeps headaches away, so I like to think it will help me with that, too.
Lastly is my watch head. This really isn't my favorite band for it, but it's good cause it matches everything. I've got about a zillion different grosgrain bands in different colors and patterns. It's wicked fun!

-Karoline

*****

gk cuff: I got this 4 years ago and literally haven't taken it off since it has a quote from Ghandi- it reminds me to simply live every day for me
elephant bracelet from thailand: my dad traveled there a lot and he chose this out for my for my 15th birthday- he's no longer with us- so this literally means the world to me
pearl bracelet: a twist on normal pearls because ever girl needs pearls
pandora bracelet: I've had this for 3 years now and its finally full! some charms include a suitcase(for when I left for college) a kangaroo (for Australia- where I was born)